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Morocco government to tax YouTube content creators

May 27, 2023 at 10:33 am

Youtube logo is being displayed on a smartphone. [Mehmet Ali Ozcan – Anadolu Agency]

The Moroccan government has announced its intention to tax YouTube content creators. Mustapha Baitas, a spokesperson for the Moroccan government, confirmed that those targeted by this tax measure would be revealed soon.

The news has been mentioned in a few posts that note that the measure has not yet sparked widespread controversy, and according to those following the announcement, it seems that the content creators involved do not wish to reveal their identity. The current measure may just be an implementation of what was mentioned in a previous notice issued by the Tax Directorate a year ago, in which they were notified that they must pay a percentage of their earnings to the State Treasury.

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According to the available information, the current news aligns with what was reported last year that YouTube content creators in Morocco must pay taxes, especially those earning profits exceeding 100,000 dirhams per month ($9,768), equivalent to 2.2 million dirhams a year ($117,224). The law requires them to pay the State Treasury 38 per cent of their total earnings.

The Moroccan government’s announcement of its intention to tax the earnings of YouTubers and content creators on social media platforms has sparked mixed reactions.

While some welcomed the decision and considered it a positive step enhancing the principle of “tax justice” among all Moroccan citizens, others expressed reservations and noted that there are questions about the manner of implementing the decision and its expected effects.

The government’s announcement reopened the discussion about the earnings of Moroccan YouTubers and influencers on social media platforms and questions about the method of imposing this tax on their earnings from digital spaces.

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